Rev. Marcus J. Hepburn III

Rev. Mr. Marcus J. Hepburn, III Rev. Mr. Marcus J. Hepburn, III, 63, died in Tallahassee, Florida on June 8, 2010. Marcus recently celebrated his 10th anniversary as a Deacon in the Catholic Church. He and his family have been members of Good Shepherd Catholic Church since 1984. Marcus Hepburn worked for Catholic Charities of Florida and the Florida Catholic Conference in Tallahassee as their statewide emergency management specialist. He has served as the Chair of the Florida Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOAD) for the past two years, and was recently elected to a third term. He served on the Planning Committee for the Governor's Hurricane Conference and the National VOAD AVC Planning Committee. He was educated at Florida State University (BA, MS) and the University of Florida (PhD work). He was a recipient of a Florida Sea Grant Congressional Fellowship with the U.S. Senate. He spent twenty years with the Florida Department of Community Affairs doing a variety of work including: impact assessment and growth management, fair housing and affordable housing, homeless issues, and community development. Civic involvement includes: Board member and President (1994-1999) of the Big Bend Homeless Coalition; Clergy member and past Co-President of the Tallahassee Equality Action Ministry; Co-founder and former Chair of the Big Bend Fair Housing Center; Board member of the Tallahassee Fuller Center for Housing; and citizen volunteer chaplain in North Florida State Correctional Institutions, including Death Row Florida State Prison, Union Correctional. In 2004, he was a recipient of the Governor's Point of Light Award for his volunteer work. Marcus is survived by his wife of 37 years, Toni DeSilva Hepburn; his daughter, Sonia Hepburn Bradford (Bill) of Santa Rita, Guam; 2 sisters, Barbara Fisher of Keller, TX and Patty Ann Hepburn of Orlando, FL; 2 brothers, Jimmy Hepburn and Dennis Hepburn, both of Titusville, FL; his Uncle, Bill Hepburn (Eileen), and his Aunt, Joan Hepburn O.P., a Dominican Sister for 53 years; a host of cousins, nieces and nephews. Marcus was preceded in death by his father, Marcus J. Hepburn, Jr., his mother, Winifred Betty Anderson Hepburn; and his daughter, Francesca Elizabeth Hepburn. Services will be held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 4665 Thomasville Road, Tallahassee, FL, 32309. A Vigil Service will be held Friday, June 11, at 7:30 p.m. EDT Evening Prayers and Rosary followed by visitation in the community center. For those who wish to stay and pray with Marcus, prayer vigil will continue until midnight. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am EDT at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, with reception in Good Shepherd Community Center following the Mass. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Catholic Charities; Good News Ministry; The Homeless Shelter; the Food Leon Co. Bank; St. John Neumann Center; Ronald McDonald House; and the CaringBridge.org.